Among the legislative initiatives discussed at the recent Taking Action for Animals conference in Washington D.C., Shapiro says one of the most important is the Egg Bill. “It’s an agreement between the United Egg Producers and the Humane Society to improve standards for egg-laying hens. They are kept in cages with less room than an 8-1/2-x-11 sheet of paper. Consumers are demanding change, and there’s a Federal bill before Congress and the Senate.”
Another effort is to oppose the current move to reintroduce the slaughter of horses for food. “In the past,” Shapiro explains, “horses were killed and shipped to Mexico and Canada for food. HSUS succeeded in getting funding cut off for inspection of these plants, which stopped them. But now there’s a move to reintroduce the slaughter. Horses should not be slaughtered for human consumption, and taxpayers should not have to pay for horse slaughter inspections so people in other countries can eat horses killed in the U.S.”
Shapiro discussed the difference between the use of horses and cattle for food. “Horses have not been raised to be agricultural animals. When it’s time to be slaughtered, they don’t stand still — they try to flee, and it can take repeated tries to kill them. It becomes a matter of cruelty. Also, they are routinely given drugs and medications that are banned for animals used for food, especially in the case of racehorses and performing horses.”
That’s not to say that the treatment of agricultural animals such as cows and chickens is taken lightly. “We are deeply concerned about factory forms that turn animals into units of production, with no acknowledgment of the animal as a living creature. HSUS tries to remind people that as consumers, we should eat with awareness of where our food comes from.”
Consumers have the option of eliminating animal products from their diet, reducing the amount of meat consumed, or at least choosing to buy animal products that are not raised on factory farms.
“Corporations are listening,” says Shapiro, “but groups such as the National Pork Producers Council are fighting us on the Egg Bill. They are terrified of change, afraid if consumers start having opportunities to buy eggs not raised in overly cruel conditions that they will have to change their own practices.” Hence, the full-page ad in a D.C. paper called Politico, including the quote cited above.
“This quote encompasses everything that is wrong when you take animals and turn them into biological machines,” states Shapiro. “That’s what we’re trying to change.”
100 new laws
In New York State, over the past two years, HSUS has succeeded in introducing legislation against animal fighting. In July, the governor signed legislation to make it a misdemeanor to possess animal fighting paraphernalia, such as the razors attached to roosters’ legs in cockfighting, or steroids and other drugs used by dog fighters. It’s also now a misdemeanor to be a spectator at an animal fight. At the national level, the HSUS is working to make it a felony to bring a child to an animal fight.
HSUS is also going after puppy mills, where proprietors stack puppies in filthy wire cages. If you’re getting a dog, advises Shapiro, make sure it comes from a shelter or a responsible breeder.
“We’re about all animals from whales to mice,” he says. “We’re advocating for all of them, changing laws and changing minds to be more compassionate and animal-friendly.” In 2011, 100 animal protection laws were passed.
The animal rights movement has come a long way since the early 1980s, when Shapiro was first involved. “Now it’s in boardrooms and in the halls of Congress, and the movement is professional, mainstream, and growing. Years ago people weren’t aware of the connection between food and how animals are treated, but now they’re aware they have choices.”++
For more information on Humane Society initiatives, activities, and donation opportunities, see www. humanesociety.org.
Congratulations Brian. You will do wonders in your new position.
Unfortunately, HSUS has worked to restore Michael Vick’s image and career without Mr. Vick ever admitting that it was wrong to torture animals, just wrong to get caught and go to prison.
The money given to HSUS does not directly assist animals, either. It pads the paychecks of its managerial employees.
Sorry, Mr. Shapiro, you did more good at the UCSPCA.
Dorothy, as someone who works at the HSUS, I would respectfully disagree on your comment. No one worked harder than the HSUS to make sure Vick was held responsible for the acts he committed. The question, once he had served his time, was if he would be able to be any help in the fight to end dogfighting. You and I both know that dogfighting is cruel and inhumane. But Vick saw his first dogfight at 8 years old – and right now, he’s helping us try to pass legislation that would make it illegal for kids to go to animal fights. We don’t want more people headed down the path he went – that is what we are trying to prevent.
As for money, we spend over 77% of our funds on program expenses – that ranges from our work to end egregious forms of wildlife abuse to stopping puppy mills. The claim you make regarding funds is straight from the playbook of Rick Berman and his absurdly named center for consumer freedom. The same group that sent over 92% of the contributions they received to Berman and his PR firm. (Guess that explains the 3 million dollar mansion he lives in!).
As for HSUS, we are rated a 4-star charity (the highest possible)by Charity Navigator, approved by the Better Business Bureau for all 20 standards for charity accountability, voted by GuideStar’s Philanthropedia experts as the #1 high-impact animal protection group, and named by Worth Magazine as one of the 10 most fiscally responsible charities.
I’d encourage you to learn more about our work at www.humanesociety.org/about, as well as a bit more about Berman, at www.stophumanewatch.info, and www.bermanexposed.org. It’s very enlightening.